• REFERS TO MAN’S MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENT TO
PRODUCE FOOD.
• PRACTICED SINCE AGES.
• NET SOWN AREA ACCOUNTS AROUND 46% OF TOTAL
CULTIVABLE AREA.
• NEARLY 2/3RD OF INDIAN POPULATION DEPENDS ON
AGRICULTURE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
IMPORTANCE
• BACKBONE OF INDIAN ECONOMY.
• PROVIDES FOOD FOR HUMAN BEING.
• PROVIDES FODDER FOR ANIMALS.
• SOURCE OF RAW MATERIAL FOR AGRO BASED INDUSTRIES.
• IT ACTS AS A CONSUMER FOR MANY INDUSTRIES.
– IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AGRICULTURAL TECHNIQUES
INCREASES THE DEMAND FOR TRACTORS, HARVESTERS,
THRESHERS, CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES ETC.
SALIENT FEATURES
• DEPENDENCE ON MONSOONS
• VARIETY OF CROPS
• PREPONDERANCE OF FOOD CROPS
• CROP SEASONS
– KHARIF
– RABI
– ZAYAD
CROP SEASONS
CROPPING PERIOD CROPS CROPS CULTIVATED
SEASON CULTIVATED (Southern States)
SOWING HARVESTIN (Northern
G States)
KHARIF APR - MAY BEGINNING RICE, COTTON, RICE, MAIZE, RAGI,
OF NOV BAJRA, MAIZE JOWAR,
JOWAR, TUR GROUNDNUT
RABI END OF OCT MARCH WHEAT, RICE, MAIZE, RAGI,
OR GRAM, GROUNDNUT,
BEGINNING RAPESEEDS, JOWAR
OF NOV MUSTARD,
BARLEY
ZAID APRIL JUNE VEGETABLES, RICE, VEGETABLES,
FRUITS, FODDER
FODDER
GREEN REVOLUTION
• GREEN REVOLUTION REFERS TO THE INTRODUCTION OF HIGH
YIELDING VARIETY (HYV) OF SEEDS AND INCREASED USE OF
FERTILIZER AND IRRIGATION METHODS.
• THE GREEN REVOLUTION IN LATE SIXTIES BROUGHT A
TURNING POINT IN INDIAN AGRICULTURE.
INTENSIVE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
• MEASURES TAKEN UNDER IADP PROGRAM:
– USE OF HIGH YIELDING VARIETIES (HYV) OF SEEDS
– IRRIGATION
– USE OF INSECTICIDES AND PESTICIDES
– CONSOLIDATION OF HOLDINGS
– LAND REFORMS
– RURAL ELECTRIFICATION
– IMPROVED RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
– SUPPLY OF AGRICULTURAL CREDIT
– USE OF (CHEMICALS) FERTILIZERS
– OPENING OF AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITIES
PROBLEMS OF INDIAN AGRICULTURE
• SMALL AND FRAGMENTED LANDHOLDING
• POOR QUALITY OF SEEDS
• LACK OF PROPER USE OF MANURE AND FERTILIZER
• PESTS AND DISEASES
• TRADITIONAL UPBRINGING
• ERRATIC NATURE OF RAINFALL
• EXCESSIVE PRESSURE ON LAND
• LOW YIELD
TYPES OF AGRICULTURE IN INDIA
PRIMITIVE
SUBSISTENCE
FARMING SHIFTING/
JHOOMING
INTENSIVE
COMMERCIAL
FARMING
AGRICULTURE EXTENSIVE
PLANTATION
FARMING
MIXED
FARMING
ORGANIC
FARMING
SUBSISTENCE AGRICULTURE
• FARMER PRODUCES EXCLUSIVELY FOR HIS OWN
CONSUMPTION.
– PRIMITIVE METHOD: SIMPLE TOOLS AND PRIMITIVE
TECHNIQUES TO GROW FOOD FOR THEIR OWN USE.
– SHIFTING AGRICULTURE : A PATCH OF FOREST LAND IS
CLEARED BY BURNING AND CROPS ARE GROWN. AFTER2-3
YEARS, WHEN THE FERTILITY OF THE SOIL IS EXHAUSTED,
THE LAND IS ABANDONED AND THE FARMER MOVES TO A
FRESH PIECE OF LAND AND THE PROCESS CONTINUES.
• ALSO KNOWN AS SLASH AND BURN CULTIVATION,
JHOOMMING
COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE
• FOOD CROPS ARE PRODUCED SPECIFICALLY FOR SALE IN THE
MARKET, BY USING IMPROVED VARIETY OF SEEDS AND
MACHINERY.
– INTENSIVE FARMING:
• AIMS AT MAXIMUM POSSIBLE PRODUCTION ON THE
LIMITED FARMS WITH ALL EFFORTS POSSIBLE UNDER
THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
• INTENSIVE FARMING IS CAPABLE OF RAISING MORE
THAN ONE CROP A YEAR.
• HUGE CAPITAL AND HUMAN LABOUR IS EMPLOYED ON
EVERY HECTARE OF LAND.
• IT IS PRACTICED IN MOST PARTS OF DENSELY
POPULATED AREAS.
COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE
– EXTENSIVE FARMING:
• FARMING DONE ON LARGE FARMS.
• EXTENSIVE USE OF MACHINES.
• ONLY ONE CROP A YEAR.
• LABOUR AND CAPITAL PER HECTARE OF LAND IS
COMPARATIVELY LESS.
• PRACTICED IN SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS LIKE USA,
CANADA, RUSSIA AND AUSTRALIA.
PLANTATION FARMING
• INTRODUCED IN INDIA BY THE BRITISH IN THE 19TH CENTURY.
• INVOLVES GROWING AND PROCESSING OF A SINGLE CASH
CROP PURELY MEANT FOR SALE.
• MAIN FEATURES:
– LARGE CAPITAL
– VAST EXTENSIVE ESTATES
– MANAGERIAL ABILITY
– TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW
– SOPHISTICATED FARM MACHINERY
– FERTILIZERS
– GOOD TRANSPORT FACILITIES
MIXED FARMING
• CULTIVATION OF CROPS AND REARING OF LIVESTOCK IS DONE
SIMULTANEOUSLY.
• CHARACTERISTICS:
– ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY IS USED FOR PLOUGHING,
SOWING AND HARVESTING OF CROPS.
– BEST QUALITY SEEDS, MODERN MACHINERY AND PROPER
USE OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS.
– CROP ROTATION IS A COMMON PRACTICE.
– ROOT CROPS LIKE BEETS, TURNIP AND LEGUMES LIKE
BEANS AND PEAS
ARE GROWN TO MAINTAIN FERTILITY OF THE SOIL.
• IN ADDITION, POULTRY, DAIRY FARMING AND HORTICULTURE
(FRUITS AND VEGETABLES) IS PRACTISED ON THE SAME
FARM
ORGANIC FARMING
• INVOLVES CULTIVATION OF PLANTS AND REARING OF
ANIMALS IN NATURAL WAYS.
• THIS PROCESS INVOLVES :
– CROP ROTATION
– GREEN MANURE
– BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL
– COMPOST
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL POLICY
• INDIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THE NATIONAL
AGRICULTURAL POLICY IN JULY 2000.
• PRINCIPAL AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE TO REMOVE THE
MAJOR PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURE AND IMPROVE THE
COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO
IMPROPER AND INEFFICIENT USES OF NATURAL
RESOURCES.
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL POLICY
• SALIENT FEATURES AND OBJECTIVES:
– Modernizing agricultural sector
– Enhancing yield of major commodities
– Raising the productivity of inputs.
– Protecting the interest of underprivileged farmers
and agriculturists.
– Checking environmental degradation.
– Agricultural research and training.
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL POLICY
• MEASURES TAKEN TO ACCOMPLISH THE SUGGESTED
OBJECTIVES :
– TO UTILIZE THE BARREN WASTELAND FOR AGRICULTURAL
PURPOSES AND AFFORESTATION.
– TO CONTROL INDISCRIMINATE DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL
LAND FOR NON-AGRICULTURAL USES.
– ENHANCE CROPPING THROUGH MULTI-CROPPING AND
INTER-CROPPING.
– TO EMPHASIZE RATIONAL USE OF GROUND AND SURFACE
WATER SO THAT OVER-EXPLOITATION OF GROUND WATER
RESOURCES CAN BE CHECKED.
– SUPPORTING FARMERS AND LANDLESS LABOURERS BY
PROVIDING ADEQUATE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
– PLANT VARIETIES TO BE PROTECTED THROUGH LEGISLATION
